How does understanding 1 Chronicles 8:20 deepen our appreciation for biblical history? Scripture Focus “ Elienai, Zillethai, and Eliel.” (1 Chronicles 8:20) Setting the Verse in Its Frame • 1 Chronicles 8 is a meticulous record of Benjamin’s descendants. • Verse 20 lists three men in the line of Shimei, demonstrating that every branch of the tribe is accounted for. • By the time Chronicles was written (after the exile), such records proved tribal identity, land rights, and priestly or royal eligibility (cf. Ezra 2:59–63). Names with Meaning • All three names carry the divine element “El,” meaning “God”: – Elienai = “Toward God are my eyes.” – Zillethai = “Shadow of the Almighty.” – Eliel = “God is my God.” • Even in a brief list, the faith of Israel’s families is memorialized; their parents stamped each generation with a testimony to God’s character (Deuteronomy 6:6–7). Genealogies and Historical Certainty • Lists like this root the narrative in verifiable history, not myth (Luke 3:23–38 follows the same pattern). • The Chronicler draws from governmental archives (1 Chronicles 9:1) and earlier Scriptures (Genesis 46:21) to present an unbroken chain. • Archaeology has uncovered similar ancient Near-Eastern king lists, confirming that careful record-keeping was standard practice—Scripture’s detail aligns with known historical methods. Covenant Continuity from Benjamin to Messiah • Benjamin was the tribe of Israel’s first king, Saul (1 Samuel 9:1–2), but also of the apostle Paul (Philippians 3:5). • By preserving Benjamin’s lesser-known lines (like Shimei’s), God shows every family matters in His redemptive plan (Isaiah 49:6). • These records guarantee that prophetic promises tied to Israel’s tribes can be traced and trusted (Ezekiel 48:23). Takeaways for Our Study of Biblical History • Accuracy in little details reinforces confidence in the larger biblical story—if names are precise, so are doctrines and events. • Genealogies bridge generations, reminding us that faith is relayed through real people in real time. • Appreciating verse 20 encourages deeper reading of “dry” passages, seeing them as evidence of God’s faithful attention to every individual and promise. |
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